Obstructive Lung Disease and Trypsin Inhibitors in α1-Antitrypsin Deficiency

Abstract

The serum concentrations of α₁-antitrypsin and α₂-macroglobulin were determined immunochemicaHy in 50 cases with α₁-antitrypsin deficiency. The mean α₁-antitrypsin concentration was found to be 14.5 per cent and the mean α₂-macroglobulin concentration 134 per cent of the normal concentration. No significant difference could be demonstrated between subjects with and without chronic lung disease. The trypsin inhibiting capacity of the inter-α trypsin inhibitor was estimated in two serum pools from subjects with and without pulmonary disease after separation of the serum inhibitors by gel filtration. It was found to be normal in both.